Over the past three weeks of being in Ariccia, we have learned all about Italian culture and have had so many new experiences. I have had a lot of time to think back on my life at home, and how I haven’t had any chance to be uncomfortable or break out of my shell. Growing up, I always picked the safest choice, even if it wasn’t the right one. Choosing to embark on this once-in-a- lifetime adventure, has opened my eyes to so much more than I could have ever imagined, and we aren’t even halfway done.

Before my plane to Ariccia, I had never felt so nervous about something in my life. I had never been away from home for more than a few weeks, much less out of the country! Packing all of my life into three tiny suitcases made the feeling all the more real, and soon enough after winter break it was time to head off. It was a whole new journey and saying goodbye to my loved ones made me rethink my choice to Study Abroad.

Once we landed in Italy, I knew immediately that I had made the best decision of my college career. The sheer excitement and unfamiliarity I experienced were like no other, and I was ready to take on whatever came my way. During these first few weeks, we have met all sorts of new people and tried new foods, such as polenta and carbonara! I think my favorite was making the carbonara and learning how to incorporate eggs into a pasta sauce. Learning Italian and trying it on the community has been a scary, but wonderful way to gain familiarity with the town as well. I would have never thought that I would be the type of person to leap at new opportunities and learn new languages, but something about Ariccia and the positive energy created here makes you want to be the best version of yourself.

Talking to the community members of Ariccia has been one of my favorite parts of Study Abroad so far. We have learned all about the lives of people who have lived here for 6 years, and also 60 years! They have all had great stories about their childhood, and it has been so eye-opening to hear the differences between growing up here versus in America. I have always been known as the shy friend, and I am not one to speak up first, but one of my goals on this experience was to become more confident with myself. Being able to branch out and experience the unknown with such an uplifting environment makes all of the uncomfortableness and awkwardness go straight out the window.

After only being in Ariccia for a short time, I know there is so much more to experience with this program. I cannot wait to see what is in store for me and my friends while we are here. Ariccia is truly a special place, and I believe that it is such a blessing to be able to call it my home for the next three months.

– Anna Denney

I loved being able to experience all of the beauty within Italy. I have never been to so many
museums.

Italy is the heart of European culture she is home to sites such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon representing the ancient world. While also housing The Ecstasy of St. Theresa and Basilica of Sant’Andrea della Valle to represent the Baroque world. However, my greatest interest in Italy has been the food which is offered. It is unlike anything that I have tasted before. Being based in Ariccia I have tasted Porchetta, a succulent pork roast, which represents the essence of this quaint town even being honored with a festival every year. I have found it is best when trying on a Panino, which is the proper name for a singular panini, served with Buffalo Mozzarella and some of the seasonal vegetables, right now it is chicory (known as chicoria here). You can’t come to Italy though without trying some homemade pasta and believe me there is a huge difference between what is served here and what is available in the United States.

In the Lazio Region there are 4 main pastas that almost every restaurant has: Cacio e Pepe, Gricia, Carbonara, and Amatriciana. The best part about these pastas is that they all start with the same basic ingredients of Pecorino and Pepper each then builds upon each other with more ingredients to make a more complex pasta, this is fun to anyone who is interested in food and developing of flavors like me. The first is Cacio e Pepe, which has only cheese and pepper, then to move to Gricia by adding Guanciale to the previous dish. After, this is where you can choose one of two ways to have a more creamy and rich pasta one can add eggs to Gricia and you would get Carbonara, or you can add tomatoes and red pepper flakes to get Amatriciana. Amatriciana is my personal favorite due to its depth of flavor beyond creamy through a savory flavor with a light spice to add to the dish.

However, during our time here so far, we have gone to 3 other regions all having different food cultures than Lazio. In the Abruzzo region, where we went on a day trip, we got to try a pasta with Saffron which is only grown in this region in Italy and is actually protected by the DOP, Denominazione d’Origine Protetta, Status meaning that to bear its name it must be grown in the Abruzzo region of Italy.

Moving north of there we enter Emilia-Romagna where we visited Bologna, the capital of this region. In this area we found a heavy base in the ragu sauce. Not the one that we can by in the store in the US but instead it was what we in the US call Bolognese as it is a meat-based sauce with tomatoes. Additionally, they are very famous for their meat filled Tortellini that is often served in a meat broth. Personally, I really enjoyed mixing the two so having my Tortellini in the ragu sauce.

The final region we have visited, and likely the most famous for their food, was the Campania region where we visited Naples. Now the obvious answer here for food in Naples is the Neapolitan Pizza that must be cooked in a wood oven. When we visited the area, I had enjoyed the Margherita Pizza, which is named after Queen Margherita and resembles the Italian Flag. As you can see, we are only through four weeks of classes and have experienced so much food culture across the many regions of Italy. As we continue through the remainder of the semester, I look forward to eating more food across all of Italy. Buon Appetite!!

Shane Berner

This dish is one of the 4 pastas of the Lazio Region. This dish is known as Carbonara and can generally be served with any form of pasta. Traditionally though you will see it served with long noodles such as Spaghetti or Bucatini. The star to this dish is the Guanciale made from pork cheek.

Leaving your family, friends, home, and routine can be uncomfortable, especially when walking into the unknown. When I stepped onto my flight to Rome, I was scared not knowing what my life would look like. I was worried I would struggle to live with so many people. The thought of sharing a room, a bathroom, the kitchen, and trying to plan trips, dinners, and coffee runs made me anxious. I’m so used to having the same schedule each week, my own room, and overall my own life that is separate from my friends.

All of my friends coming to this program told me how excited they were to study in Italy and take weekend trips all over Europe. They had talked about how excited they were to travel all over Italy, and travel to countries like France and Spain. All my friends who have previously studied abroad told me how amazing and life-changing studying and living abroad was, but I was still unsure of what lay ahead of me.

When I arrived, I was overwhelmed. I had asked all of my friends who had studied abroad in the past about their experiences, but even upon arrival, I could tell my experience would be entirely different from theirs. At first, I struggled to get acclimated. My nightly routine, from bedtime to shower time, hinged on the schedules of others, forming a routine of its own. I woke up at the same time as my friends, went to coffee together, and attended all of our classes together.
Whenever I wanted to take a trip somewhere, there was at least one friend eager to come with me, and occasionally numerous friends were enthusiastic about exploring the same destination. When you spend 24 hours a day every day for 3 months, you get to know one another really well, and you always have someone to talk to, do homework with, or grab a coffee with. You also get to have once-in-a-lifetime experiences that will bond you forever. They become more than just friends, they become almost like your best friends and siblings all in one.

I’ve always struggled not having a routine and a space to call my own, so despite all the amazing and wonderful things I had seen and read about the JSB study abroad program, I was hesitant. So, if you are also worried about not having a routine or a space to call your own, and you are reading this blog trying to decide if you want to do the JSB study abroad program, then this is your sign to do it. The experiences and friends you make within and outside of the program are a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will never regret.

It’s only 3 weeks in and I already feel like time is going too fast, and now looking back on my feelings that I had my first week, I am glad that my experience with the JSB study abroad program is a unique and different experience than my friends. I’ve gained more than just 13 roommates in my study abroad program, I’ve gained a family.

Maddie Ball

— The JSB Spring 2024 Family Goes to Pompeii